The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-22
ANOTHER CHICAGO sWINDLE.
Postal Authorities Interfere with the Dis
honest Operations of T. S. Gardner.

CHICAGO, April 21-It is stated By local pa
per that the post Office authorities have stopped
the delivery of registered mail to 7. S. Gardner,
and several publications by the name OF the
Farm Journal Farmers Album, and Farming
World. 1t is also said that the department has
determined upon the arrest and prosecution OF
Gardner on the grounds that his publications
are "a swindle OF the public and fraud on the
United States mail service" 1t is claimed that
Gardner has for some time been receiving over
fifty registered letters day, each containing
postal order for from S. to $12 and has sent out
over 25o. 900 circulars and specimen copies OF his
paper within three months through the second
class mail alone. The head of the second-class
mail department in the Chicago Office decided,
some time ago, it is said, that the publications
named were of the leash premium" order.
Three weeks ago. in accordance with regula-
ton of the department which says: ''If post
master has reason to doubt that publication
offered second class matter has legitimate
list of subscribers, he may require the publisher
thereof to satisfy him that it has" The super
intendent stopped some 13, 600 copies of card
ners Farm Journal, and demanded to be shown
the subscription list. Three weeks have passed.
but the l3 900 copies are still lying in the base
ment of the postoffice As Gardner was slow in
furnishing his subscribers listthe rlntendent
Sent inquiries to outside postmaSters
regarding thirty persons to whom the Farm
Journal was addressed. The names of these
presumptve subscribers were selected at ran
dom from the 13, 900 addresses of the publica-
tion Replies have been received from all. 1t
is claimed that twenty-seven denied being sub-
scribers. and three others admitted having sub
scribed, but had not yet received the pnblica-
ton. Every subscriber was promised 50 pre-
MUM order-to be casned later-for an outlay
of forty cents, with valuable journal thrown
was to get prize of from $25 to S., 000 From
Gardner had sent one copy Of his paper-a pat
enr sheet got up In imitation of genuine peri
odical-to each person who replied to his orig
| iDal circular, but had never paid any attention
| to the clubs, except to take the money. A morn
ing paper saws the postofice inspectors have ey-
| idence IN hand which District attorney Ewing
| believes will secure a conviction, the full pen
| atty in which case will be fine of 5000, and
| eighteen months Imprisonment
Gardeners offices in this city in the Scott
| Block, corner of West Van Buren, street and
| Hermitage avenue, where he employs twenty
| five to thirty young women mailing his circu-
| lars Since the postoffice people here have be-
| gun to make it unpleasant for him, it is stated
! that he has opened up in Cincinnati. His circu-
| lars from that city are ornamented with a large
| picture of fine business block at the corner of
| Sixth and Vine streets. 1t is said that the post
| Office authorities sent man to Cincinnati, yes
| terday, to effect Gardners arrest but they re-
| fuse to give any information.